Synopsis
Musical Reminiscences: Containing An Account Of The Italian Opera In England, From 1773 by Richard Edgcumbe, Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. This memoir traces the rise and evolution of Italian opera in England from the 1770s through the early 1830s, blending personal recollections with critical reflections on singers, venues, and management. Mount Edgcumbe, a British noble and avid music amateur, describes the principal figures who defined the golden age of English opera—Millico, Rauzzini, Gabrielli, Davies, Pacchierotti, Bernasconi, and many others—along with grand festivals, theatres (the King's Theatre, the Pantheon, the Haymarket), and major tours through Europe. The narrative alternates between anecdotal memory and judicious commentary on taste shifts, the emergence of the modern operatic style, and the rise of composers like Rossini, Mozart, and Beethoven. It also covers events such as the Westminster Abbey Handel memorials and reforms in English opera management, offering a valuable, documented chronicle of Britain’s musical life and audience culture from the late 18th century onward.
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